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To: Dan Corrin <dan%engrg.uwo.ca@RELAY.CS.NET>,
        Chuck McKnight <mcknight@TUSUN2.MCS.UTULSA.EDU>,
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Subject: TML Bundle #174: Msgs 2186-2193
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TML Bundles come from the archives of the Traveller Mailing List,
maintained by James Perkins, traveller-request@metolius.wr.tek.com.

------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed Mar  6 21:01:15 PST 1991
From: traveller-request@metolius.wr.tek.com (TML Administrator)
Subject: TML Bundle #174: Table of Contents

-AMN- --Date--- --Sender--------- --Subject-----------------------------------
2187  04-Mar-91 Jo Jaquinta       Getting out of the doldrums... << Lora was bo
2188  04-Mar-91 Mark F. Cook      Re: Holo capacity << In TML subject 2186, woo
2189  04-Mar-91 za057@zeus.unomah Problems with ftp << Does anyone know what is
2190  04-Mar-91 Mark F. Cook      MT Journal: You can't get there from here! <<
2191  05-Mar-91 "Robert S. Dean"  Vehicles << I have accumulated another batch 
2192  05-Mar-91 salamon@sdbio2.UC more questions about sector data << Hello, ev
2193  05-Mar-91 sfellows@slate.Mi Challenge Mag and GDW << Interesting News: Ju
2194  05-Mar-91 "Robert S. Dean"  Archive Messages << I just recently figured o

------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2187
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 91 9:47:32 GMT
From: Jo Jaquinta <jaymin@maths.tcd.ie>
Subject: Getting out of the doldrums...

     Lora  was bored.  Everyone had gone off leaving Daegaer  for 
company.  She wandered about the ship,  Daegaer following.  "Your 
great company,  you know,  Daegaer",  she told him. "A barrell of 
laughs."  He stared blankly at her.  "Go on,  find something that 
doesn't work.  I will fix it." He held out a snapped stylus. "Oh, 
very  funny." She wandered back to engineering and pressed a  few 
buttons at random,  then reset them.  "Go on,  I'll close my eyes 
and you twiddle a few knobs",  she shut her eyes.  Daegaer turned 
off the light.  "Gee,  that's a difficult one", she said, turning 
it  back  on.  She pulled out a reference manual.  "Lets  see  if 
everything meets its tolerance levels." She leafed through a  few 
pages,  "Go  get  me  a welding  kit,  a  fire  extinguisher,  an 
impedence  tester  and  a milkshake." He sighed  and  loped  off. 
"Strawberry!", she yelled after him.
     She  turned  the  power pland on and  began  increacing  the 
energy  flow.  "Just  a  shade below red." Daegaer  returned  and 
dropped  the items.  "Lighting system should be able to take  0.3 
mega-watts",  she  said  around  the straw.  She  flicked  a  few 
switches  and  the lights glowed a very  intense  white.  Daegaer 
gasped and covered his already shaded eyes.  "Sorry!" She  turned 
them off.  "Lets see,  circulatory fans on max." Daegaer held his 
head as she made the connection and flicked the switch.  A gentle 
wind  began  blowing  through  the  ship,  gradually  increacing. 
"Wheee!",  cried  Lora.  She turned it off as the manual's  pages 
began  to  blow about in her hands.  Daegaer sat back up  in  his 
seat.  "What next?  Purefication plant? Boring. Air conditioning? 
Never did like snow...  Hull bonding?  Hmmm... enhances molecular 
bonds  in  crystal structure of hull,  three mega-watts."  Daeger 
whimpered  quietly.  "Did you say something?" He shook  his  head 
rapidly. "I know you can talk. Why do you play mute?" She sighed. 
"Lets  give it a go." She twisted a few wires together and  threw 
the  switch.  An  almost subsonic throb echoed and  quickly  died 
away.  Lora  raised and eyebrow and flicked the switch off and on 
again.  The low noise reverberated throughout the ship. "I've got 
an idea."
     She  unwired  the console and set up a small circut  to  the 
power  flow controler.  She set it to one megawatt and  activated 
it.  The  monitor filled with a square curve and around them  the 
hull emitted a vibrant tone.  She smiled.  "Go to stores and  get 
forty  mertre  of six core cable",  she instructed  Daegaer.  She 
dismantled  the  temporary  circut  and  began  studying   wiring 
diagrams.
     She worked rapidly most of the afternoon, Daegaer catching a 
bit  of  her  excitment.  Dashing here and  there,  fetching  and 
carrying tools. In late afternoon the sun was setting. They stood 
on the hot cement to one side of the ship.  A thick cable drooped 
out a hatch and ran to a set of many switched boxes that  Daegaer 
sat  at.  A  thin  wire  lead to the final  aparatus  which  Lora 
carried.
     "Stoke her up",  she said.  Daegaer gingerly turned a  knob, 
watching  the head shimmer radiate off the engines.  "Connect the 
interface."  He threw several large switches.  "Engage  filters." 
Her activated these and his hand hovered shaking over a large red 
button. "Activate", she whispered. He pushed it.
     She savoured the moment of silence,  then leaped in the  air 
bringing  her hand down shaply on the string of her  gitaur.  The 
sound  blasted from the hull's surface area and exploded over the 
whole shipyard as she sank to her knees,  fingers madly  plucking 
their way up the nect as the sound rose hight and higher. Daegaer 
clung to the console as the ship slid several inches on its madly 
vibrating  landing  gear.  At  her climax he joined in  with  the 
ship's artilery thundering.

                              * * *

     Terry and the others returned that evening to find their lot 
covered in people.  Starport police surrounded the area and a few 
administrators  in business suits were arguing loudly with  Lora. 
Around her several other spacers had turned up and were  chatting 
at  Daegaer.  One  had  brought a howitzer,  another  a  suitably 
modified ultrasonic combat stunner and a tight knot worked around 
a plasma cannon,  making unguessed modifications. Lora waved them 
over.
     "What is going on here!", demanded Terry,
     "We just thought we'd have a good old jam session!"

------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2188
From: Mark F. Cook <markc@hpcvss.cv.hp.COM>
Subject: Re: Holo capacity
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 91 11:27:37 PST

In TML subject 2186, woodsb@ecn.purdue.edu (Brent L. Woods) writes:

>      What's the data capacity of a holocrystal?  I've taken a
> (admittedly superficial) look through all the references I have here
> and all I could find was a note in _Traveller's Digest_ 10 that one
> holocrystal can hold about 5 hours of holographic video.  That's fine,
> as far as it goes, but it doesn't tell me how much raw data the
> crystal can hold.  If it'll hold 5 hours of video, I'd assume that the
> capacity is fairly large, but *how* large?  500 Mbytes?  1 Gbyte?  1
> Terabyte?  More?

If you're willing to accept modern film/video technology as a starting
point, throw in a dose of computer display specifications, and sprinkle
with a dash of HDTV, we can make a pretty good educated guess.  Let's
start with a little biology lesson.

Modern industrial movie cameras record at a speed of 24 fps (frames per
second), while video camcorders are more like 30 fps.  Both of these
rates, if played back to the human eye at the speed they were recorded,
would produce visible flicker.  This is eliminated in video units by
clocking playback at 60 hertz (or higher) and in movie cameras by a
rotating mirror, which rapidly flashes each individual frame 3 times,
producing a virtual playback rate of 72 fps.  playback rates of ~60
hertz and higher are beyond the humans eyes threshold to discern flicker.

Next, there's the issue of image quality.  Currently, everyday TV produces
images with a vertical resolution of ~560 lines, which shows up as a very
coarse image if frozen-framed.  Recent research in HDTV (high-definition TV)
produces video images with a vertical resolution of over 1100 lines, which
approaches the image detail in a 1280x1024 hi-res computer display.  Most
people consider this resolution satisfactory.  In fact, doubling THAT
resolution would produce images which are literally photographic quality.
Also, the number of simultaneously presentable colors affects image
quality.  Modern hi-res computer workstations (Silicon Graphics,  DEC,
Hewlett-Packard, Sun, et.al.) use 24-bit 'true' color to produce photo-
realistic images.

Given these boundary conditions (pixel depth, image dimensions, and
number of frames per second), we can estimate the amount of storage
neccessary for 5 hours of continuous visual data.  Figure 24-bit pixels
in a 1024x1024 image, scanned 60 times per second, and you end up with
1,509,949,440 bits of data per second.  Multiply that by the number of
seconds in 5 hours (18,000) and you get 2.7179 x 10^13 bits of data.
To put this into perspective, think of it as 41,180,439,290 pages of
text (66 lines, 80 columns wide), or 73,800 copies of the entire
Encyclopedia Britannica! And this is just for a silent movie, so far.
We haven't even touched on the subject of storing a parallel soundtrack.

>      Now that I think about it, this could be more generally expressed
> as, "What kind of data format is used in Traveller technology?"  Sure,
> an 8-bit byte is a _de facto_ standard today, but it doesn't necessarily
> *have* to be (at one time, it wasn't).  Also, does one "byte" correspond
> to one text character, or are all files stored in a binary form that
> includes some user-transparent data compression?  If so, do you express
> the capacity of storage media in arbitrary-number-of-bits units (i. e.,
> its physical capacity) or the amount of data that can be compressed
> onto it (its *practical* capacity).  Heck, with lharc, I can squeeze
> 1.8 Mbytes of (text) data onto one 880 Kbyte Amiga disk.  Could a TL 15
> mass storage system do any less?

These are all valid points.  Even today, it's becoming obvious that an
8-bit byte is far from sufficient for even simple text storage.  The
increasing problems of internationalization (or I14N, as people refer
to it) show that 16-bit NLS (National Language Support) is neccessary
to represent far eastern character sets such as Kanji, Katakana, Hiragana,
Triad-Chinese, etc.  Add to this the fact that most western font sets
are very generalized, or VERY specialized, and you end up with lots
of missing special characters.  For example, it's impossible for a
single 8-bit font to fully support both English and German, and still
contain all the standard punctuation characters we're all used to.

For a single font set to support all existing languages on the planet
right now, a 16-bit font would be hard pressed to serve.  24-bits would
definitely do the job.  I cite even multiples of an 8-bit byte only
for historical reasons.  There's no reason that 19, 23, or 26 bits wouldn't
work just as well.  However, since computers (at least existing ones)
are binary by their very nature, it seems that using an even power of
2 would facilitate whatever storage scheme you eventually use.  How
you choose to compress this data is left as an exercise to the reader. :-)

Regarding the compression of image data, I offer only one tantalizing
point.  Recent date compression reseach has demonstrated that very
complex natural images (a fern, a tree, a mountain skyline) can be
reduced to a single factal equation for storage, and then reproduced
in total detail, with no loss of resolution.  Optimists suggest that,
eventually, more sophisticated methods will be found which allow ANY
image to be stored in fractal form.  This form of compression results
in a storage space reduction several magnitudes of order smaller than
the original image.  The current drawback is that discerning the correct
storage fractal is very hit-and-miss, and deriving it is extremely
time-consuming.  Some images fail to be fractally compressed.

However, let's assume that eventually fractal compression becomes
common-place.  Presumably, each 1K x 1K x 24 image (discussed earlier)
could be reduced to, say, just under 1K of compressed data.  If we
further assume that compression could be done real-time, then that holo
crystal could be a lot smaller, and still hold 5 hours of data.  Now,
instead of having to hold 2.7179 x 10^13 bits of data, it only has
to hold 1,105,920,000 bits of data (138,240,000 8-bit bytes).

I don't know about you, but I always assumed that these crystals were
about half the size of a standard domino.  Considering that modern
high-density 3.5" floppy discs can already hold over 1 Mb. of data,
This only represents a 2 order of magnitude improvement in data storage
density, which doesn't seem at all unreasonable to me.

If we assume that one of these 5-hour holo-crystals is 1x2x4 cm., then
the total number of them in a cubic meter of crystal would be 100 x 50
x 25, or 125,000.  If we assume that each crystal can hold 2.7179 x
10^13 bits of data, before fractal compression, then you have 3.3974 x
10^18 bits of storage per cubic meter.  Since volume of a sphere is
stated as 4/3 pi R^3, where R (in this case) is 50,000 meters, the
total volume of a 100 Km. diameter sphere is 5.2360 x 10^14 cubic
meters.  Multiply that by the storage capacity per cubic meter, and
you have a total storage capacity of 1.7789 x 10^33 bits.

Now THAT's entertainment.

Later,

        Mark F. Cook

USMail: User Interface Technical Support
        Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
        1000 NE Circle Blvd.  Corvallis, OR 97330

INTERNET: markc@hpcvss.cv.hp.com
          markc%hpcvss.cv.hp.com@relay.hp.com

------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2189
Date: 4 Mar 91 23:13:00 CDT
From: za057@zeus.unomaha.edu
Subject: Problems with ftp

Does anyone know what is going on with sunbane??

It takes anonymous ftp, but is unable to 'load guest restrictions'??


Question #2:  Does anyone have a copy of the TDR Trade and/or sysgen
program that can be sent to me zipped/uuencoded?  The VMS system here won't
let me uncompress files...

- - --David West
za057@zeus.unomaha.edu


------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2190
From: Mark F. Cook <markc@hpcvss.cv.hp.COM>
Subject: MT Journal: You can't get there from here!
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 91 22:53:04 PST

If any of you are thinking of subscribing to DGP's new MegaTraveller
Journal, put away your checkbooks, I can save you the trouble.

I won the random drawing back in Traveller's Digest issue #18 readers
survey, which was a free 1-year subscription to the magazine (4 issues),
starting with issue #19.  Since it only ran through issue #21, my 'forth'
issue was actually the first issue of the MegaTraveller Journal, which
just arrived today.  Included with the magazine was this notice (which I
re-print below verbatim, without permission):

                "PLEASE DO NOT RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
                     TO THE MEGATRAVELLER JOURNAL

Sorry, but we are not taking subscriptions on the new magazine.  So why
not?  There are several reasons.

First, the magazine has always been the least profitable thing we produce.
We make our money from cover price, since we have few paying advertisers --
most of our ads are provided as a service, or we'd have no ads at all in
the magazine.  To make our magazine more profitable, we have several changes
in the wind, and trying to offer subscriptions during this time of great
change is not a good idea.  One immediate change is the Journal's increase
in cover price to $5.95 per 52-page issue.

Next, we are dropping our concept of the Journal being a magazine, and
thinking of it more as a product.  We are viewing it more as a semi-regular
resource book.  Consistent with that philosophy, all issues of the Journal
from 3 and beyond will be double-sized (104-pages) and cost $12.95 -- just
like a product.  This Journal will have minimal ads (no more convention
notices or fanzine ads), and it will appear twice a year (more or less).

Finally, few good writers are coming forward to write TRAVELLER articles
for us.  That means we have to fill the space ourselves.  Not that we don't
enjoy doing that, but we are spread pretty thin as it is already.  We want
the freedom to be able to produce a Journal when we have enough material to
fill it -- thus no required release frequency and no subscriptions."

Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I have real mixed emotions
about this.  On the one hand, I think it's probably a very good idea, and
issue quality, which is already excellent (more on this later), will almost
certainly get better.  On the other hand, I don't know whether I can stand
the wait between issues! :-)  Recent issues of Challenge have been so
scattershot, contents-wise, that I'm really beginning to question it's
usefulness as a MT information resource. Lately, I only buy it for the
Traveller News Service articles (Chorus: "Yah, sure!  Go ahead, pull the
other leg!!")  Okay, okay, so I'm an MT junkie.  We'll just have to see
if I can last between these drawnout issues of MT Journal.

As for the first issue, well it's everything Steven Fellows described and
then some!  As he mentioned, it's cover price is $5.95 and issue 2 should
be the same.  Then (according to the above notice), issue 3 and later will
cost us $12.95.  Oh well, as long as it's only twice a year, sigh. :-)

The cover art is as good or better than any Traveller's Digest has ever
had, and includes a creature referred to in the credits as "a Khethss
from Giranima".  I can't find a reference to this race anywhere in my
MT stuff.  Maybe our esteemed Traveller Historian can help out (how
about it, Metlay?).

The Domain of Deneb pull-out map is very sharp.  It actually includes
all of the Spinward Marches, Deneb, the Trojan Reach, and Reft Sector,
on a single page.  It includes X-boat routes, borders, allegiance codes,
names and starport types for all listed systems.  Everything but the actual
UWPs are listed.

If this issue is a typical sample of following volumes, then we all have
a lot to look forward to.  It is definitely a "use everything, waste nothing"
magazine.  Articles include a very complete planetside adventure on Wardn
(1727 Spinward Marches), and A Concise History of the Rebellion (as Steve
already mentioned) with a detailed rebellion time running from 1103
(Dulinor's elevation to Archdukedom) to 1120.  There is also a detailed
guide to both the Domain of Deneb circa 1120 (hence the pull-out map),
a world guide to Enaaka (Deneb 0203), an interview with Norris (ala Rebel
Reporter), and finally (my personal favorite), a lengthy article on the
niceties of battledress (what can I say; I'm a hardware junkie, too).
The illustrations in that article alone are worth the price of admission
(if you ever wondered how somebody gets into one of those things, this
will answer your questions).

Finally, in the back of the issue, there's an article on a subject
near and dear to all of us (well, MOST of us, anyway): "Shareware:
MegaTraveller Computer Aid Directory".  It explains why DGP doesn't
offer MT software gaming aids (low return-on-investment), but how
they're going to start reviewing some of the better software they
receive from MT buffs, and how you can lay your hands on the stuff.
Since some of you may entertain thoughts of writing and selling your
own MT computer gaming aids, here's the ideal forum for "free advertising",
assuming, of course, that your application makes the (subjective) quality
cut line.

Anyway, check this first issue out for yourself.  And then be prepared
to wait a while for number 2.

                        "Wait a minute.  They're selling us replacement
                         parts AT COST?!?  Something stinks here.  LSP
                         NEVER sells *anything* 'at cost'!"

Later,

        Mark F. Cook

USMail: User Interface Technical Support
        Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
        1000 NE Circle Blvd.  Corvallis, OR 97330

INTERNET: markc@hpcvss.cv.hp.com
          markc%hpcvss.cv.hp.com@relay.hp.com

------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2191
Date:     Tue, 5 Mar 91 9:39:17 EST
From: "Robert S. Dean" <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Vehicles

I have accumulated another batch of vehicle designs, and figured I might as 
well distribute them.  The three Type A variants should be of some use in 
adventures.  I've noted what the actual thrust would be, figured on the
1 Maneuver unit=650tons basis, and you'll see that Maneuver-1 vessels have
a slight problem when it comes to planetary landings.  

Rob Dean

- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Frenetic Armored Car TL10

     The Frenetic is an inexpensive armored car designed to mount a VRF gauss 
gun.  The gun accounts for almost 2/3 of the vehicle cost. A sealed environ-
ment system is installed for use in chemically or radioactively contaminated 
environments, and auxiliary oxygen tanks can be installed to permit operation 
in non-breathable atmosphere or vacuum.  This results in a decrease in endur-
ance to 40 hours.

  CraftID: Frenetic Armored Car, TL10, Cr323,600
     Hull: 1/2, Disp=1, Conf=4USL+turret, Armor=20E, Loaded=10.54t,
           Unloaded=9.22t
    Power: 1/2, 12*Fuel Cell=1.08MW, Dur=15/45
     Loco: 1/2, 6 wheels, P/W=102, Road=222kph, Offroad=67kph
     Comm: Radio=Regional(500km)
  Sensors: 2*Headlights, Passive IR, Light Amplification
      Off: Hardpoints=1

                              Pen/          Max     Auto   Dngr
                 Ammo  Rds    Attn    Dmg   Range   Tgts   Spc    Sig   ROF
 VRF Gauss Gun     -  60000   21/4    10   Dist(4.5)  4     -      L    300

      Def: -
  Control: Comp0*1, 6*DynLink
    Accom: Seats=Adequate*2, Env=basic env, basic ls
    Other: Fuel=1.78kl, Cargo=0.6kl, ObjSize=Small, EmLevel=Moderate

Tiremese Termagant class Fighter TL11

     The Termagant is a long endurance light fighter built by a consortium of 
the independent governments of Tirem.  It can be operated by a single crew-
member, but usually carries two on routine long duration patrol missions.  
This requires double occupancy of the accommodations, and results in a high 
sociability rating being advantageous for selection to Tirem's fighter serv-
ice.  With no requirement to provided an atmospheric combat capability, the 
designers elected to avoid streamlining in favor of ease of construction. 
Termagant flyers usually call their craft "Uglies".  Use of this nickname by 
the non-Termagant community is not tolerated.

  CraftID: Termagant Class Fighter, TL11, MCr31.25
     Hull: 18/45, Disp=20, Conf=4USL, Armor=40E, Loaded=454.7t
           Unloaded=445.0t
    Power: 3/6, Fusion=270MW, Dur=29/87
     Loco: 3/6, Maneuver=6 (Thrusters=2210t), MaxAccel=4.86G, Agility=4
     Comm: Radio=System, LaserComm=System, MaserComm=System
  Sensors: EMM, EMS(Act)=FarOrbit, EMS(Pass)=Interplanetary,
           ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout, PassEnScan=Rout
      Off: Hardpoints=1

              Missile=x02
           Batteries    1
           Bearing      1

      Def: DefDM+9
  Control: Comp3*3, HeadsUpDisplay*1, 40*DynLink
    Accom: Crew=1, Small Staterooms*1, Seat=Roomy*2, Env=basic env, basic ls,
           extended ls, grav plates, inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=96kl, Missiles=60 (20b-r), ObjSize=Avg, EmLevel=Faint

Derwent class Merchant TL11

     The Derwent class is a common Type A merchant variant.  It is fitted 
with a reasonable anti-piracy weapons package, typical for the current unset-
tled times in the Imperium.  No accommodations for passengers are provided, 
but Derwent operators who are shorthanded occasionally carry a middle passen-
ger or two.

  CraftID: Derwent class Merchant, TL11, MCr71.5
     Hull: 180/450, Disp=200t, Config=4SL, Armor=40E, Loaded=3433.4t,
           Unloaded=2221.8t
    Power: 10/20, Fusion=900MW, Duration=30/90 
     Loco: 9/18, Maneuver=2 (Thrusters=6500t), 4/8, Jump=1, Cruise=750kph,
           Max=1000kph, MaxAccel=1.9G, Agility=1
     Comm: Radio=System*2
  Sensors: EMS Active(FarOrbit), EMS Passive(Interplanetary),
           ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout, PassEnScan=Rout
      Off: Hardpoints=2

                Missile=x02
           Batteries      1
           Bearing        1

      Def: DefDM+4

               SandCaster=x04
           Batteries        1
           Bearing          1

  Control: Computer Mod1*3, 3*HeadsUpDisplay, 590*DynLink
    Accom: Crew=6 (1 bridge, 2 engineer, 2 gunners, 1 medical), 
           Staterooms=6, Env=basic env, basic ls, extended ls, grav plates,
           inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=594kl (1 jump-1+30 days), Cargo=1167kl, Missiles=60 (20b-r),
           Fuel Scoops, Fuel Purifier (12hr), ObjSize=Avg, EmLevel=Faint

Rummelhart Tracked ATV TL12

     The Rummelhart (named for a large shaggy herdbeast of Trin, noted for 
its toughness and endurance) is a fairly ordinary tracked ATV, useful for
situations in which a flying vehicle would be inappropriate.  Originally 
designed on Trin in 887, the Rummelhart is now produced under license on 
several planets in the Spinward Marches, particularly Lunion and Strouden.  
Common field modifications include addition of light armament or cranes, 
rearrangement of the accommodations and cargo space to include bunks, and 
installation of specialized sensors.

  CraftID: Rummelhart Tracked ATV, TL12, Cr773,310
     Hull: 6/14, Disp=6, Config=4USL, Armor=4F, Loaded=52.7t, Unloaded=41.8t
    Power: 1/2, Fusion=6MW, Dur=30/90
     Loco: 2/4, Tracks, RoadSpeed=227kph, Offroad=91kph
     Comm: Radio=Regional
  Sensors: EMS Active(Distant), EMS Passive(VDist), ActObjScan=Form,
           ActObjPin=Form, PassEnScan=Form
      Off: Hardpoints=1
      Def: -
  Control: Comp0, DynLink*17
    Accom: Seats=ExtOccRoomy*5 (Driver, 4 passengers), Env=Basic env,
           basic ls, extended ls
    Other: Fuel=6.48kl, Cargo=10.4, ObjSize=Small, EmLevel=Moderate

Stiletto Light Grav Tank TL14

     The Stiletto is a light grav tank still found equipping second-line 
units of the Imperial Army.  Its small size, high speed, and extensive defen-
sive suite make it survivable in a modern battle.  Cramped accommodations are 
somewhat less popular among the crews. 
     
  CraftID: Stiletto Light Grav Tank, TL14, MCr7.6
     Hull: 2/5, Disp=2, Config=1AF+turret, Armor=45G, Loaded=62.3t
    Power: 1/2, Fusion=60MW, Dur=106hr (3/10)
     Loco: 1/2, StdGrav=280t, Max Speed=3150kph, Cruise=2363kph, NOE=180kph,
           MaxAccel=3.5G
     Comm: Radio=Planetary, RadioJammer=Planetary, LaserComm=Continental, 
           MaserComm=Continental
  Sensors: EMS Active(Far Orbit), EMS Jammer(Far Orbit),
           EMS Passive(Interstellar), Low Pen Densitometer(100m), Neutrino
           Sensor(10kw), ActObjScan=Routine, ActObjPin=Routine,
           PassObjScan=Routine, PassObjPin=Difficult, PassEnScan=Simple,
           PassEnPin=Routine
      Off: Hardpoints=1

                      Pen/          Max     Auto   Dngr
                      Attn    Dmg   Range   Tgts   Spc    Sig   ROF
         Fusion-Y Gun  71/5    30  VDist(21)  2     45     H     40

      Def: Point Defense Targeting for fusion gun
  Control: Comp0*2, HeadsUpHoloDisplay*1, HoloLink*1
    Accom: Seats=Cramped*2 (Commander, Driver/Gunner), Env=Basic env, basic 
           ls, extended ls
    Other: Fuel=5.3kl, Cargo=0, ObjSize=Avg, EmLevel=Faint

Type Y Yacht TL15

     This version of the Type Y Yacht appears in the shipbuilding catalog of 
ConTech of Glisten.  The most unusual features of the design are the dome 
airframe hull for rapid transit on planet and provision of a 8x6x2 meter 
swimming pool.  The pool is part of the central atrium around which the five 
passenger staterooms are arranged.  Since the craft itself is capable of high 
speed travel, no permanent provision for carried smaller craft has been made.  
The 57kl cargo area could hold a vehicle of up to 3 tons displacement if 
desired.  No fuel scoops or fuel purifier are installed, limiting operations 
to civilized systems.  Cost of fuel was considered to be no object for anyone 
wealthy enough to own one of these.

  CraftID: Type Y Yacht, TL15, MCr133
     Hull: 180/450, Disp=200, Config=6AF, Armor=40G, Loaded=1736t,
           Unloaded=1589t
    Power: 8/16, Fusion=2070MW, Duration=30/90
     Loco: 15/30, Maneuver=3, 8/16, Jump=3, NOE=190kph, Cruise=2880kph,
           Max=3840kph, Agility=3, (ActualThrust=5.99G)
     Comm: Radio=System*3, LaserComm=System
  Sensors: EMS Active (FarOrbit), EMS Jammer (FarOrbit), EMS Passive
           (Interstellar), ActObjScan=Routine, ActObjPin=Routine, 
           PassEnScan=Routine
      Off: Hardpoints=2

            BeamLaser=xx4  
           Batteries    1 
           Bearing      1 

      Def: DefDM+9

               SandCaster=x04
           Batteries        1
           Bearing          1

  Control: Computer Mod5*3, 2*HeadsUpHoloDisplay, 20*HoloLink
    Accom: Crew=5 (1 bridge, 1 medic, 1 engineer, 1 steward, 1 gunner), 
           Passengers=5, Staterooms=10, Env=basic env, basic ls, extended ls,
           grav plates, inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=1285.2kl, Cargo=57kl, SwimmingPool=240kl, ObjSize=Average,
           EmLevel=Avg

    Notes: This was designed using the usual design rules, but evaluated 
using my "1 drive unit=650 tons thrust" method to calculate airspeed.  In 
this particular case, since there are a large number of low density compo-
nents (fuel and staterooms in particular), this results in a performance 
substantially better than the rough estimate provided by the Drive=3 rule.  
The yacht as given in the Imperial Encyclopedia is apparently plagued by a 
number of typos, as I don't think it has enough fuel or power to support the 
Jump-4, Maneuver-4 set-up shown.  In Classic Traveller, I believe a Yacht was 
a jump-1, Maneuver-1 vessel, but it seemed to me that that could be bettered.

Stalwart Heavy Tank TL5

     The Stalwart is a heavy tank from the lowest tech level at which such 
vehicles are commonly used.  It mounts a large howitzer in a rotating turret, 
and two machine guns (bow and commander's). Because of the ability of the 
16cm howitzer to penetrate an unarmored starship hull, this vehicle is com-
monly found in a starport guard role on low tech worlds.

  CraftID: Stalwart Heavy Tank, TL5, Cr154,180
     Hull: 4/8, Disp=3, Config=4USL+turret, Armor=20A, Unloaded=53.3t,
           Loaded=48.0t
    Power: 1/2, IC=1.0MW, Dur=5hrs
     Loco: 1/2, Tracks, P/W=19, Road=50kph, Offroad=20kph
     Comm: Radio=VDistant(50km)
  Sensors: none
      Off: Hardpoints=1

                           Pen/         Max    Auto   Dngr
                Ammo  Rds  Attn   Dmg   Range  Tgts   Spc    Sig   ROF
 16cm Howitzer   HE    67   22     20 Dist(17km) -     30     H     4
                KEAP   -   31/3    16 Dist(17km) -     -      H     4
                HEAP   -    43     16 Dist(17km) -     -      H     4
   2*Medium MG   -    800   3/3     3   VLong   3      -      H    80

      Def: -
  Control: Mech*39
    Accom: Crew=5 (Driver,3 Gunners,Commander), Seats=Cramped*5
    Other: Fuel=600L, Cargo=0, ObjSize=Small, EmLevel=Moderate

Type A Free Trader TL10

     This is a fairly standard Type A free trader, with the only changes to 
the basic package being the wedge form hull and the two dual turrets, each 
with a missile rack and a sandcaster.  Free trader crews with members who can 
double as gunners (such as the steward and perhaps the engineer) can allocate 
additional staterooms to passenger service.  The standard grav maneuver drive 
system loses efficiency beyond a gravity well, and only provides 0.95Gs of 
acceleration when the vessel is fully loaded.  This limits the vessel to use 
of orbital port facilities when carrying cargo to or from earth-size planets.  
The ship can make 1.5Gs empty, which allows for landing when necessary.
     The vessel's control system is sufficient for installation of a more 
powerful weapons system.

  CraftID: Type A  Free Trader, TL10, MCr54.15 
     Hull: 180/450, Disp=200t, Config=1SL, Armor=40E, Loaded=2740t,
           Unloaded=1699t
    Power: 6/12, Fusion=468MW, Duration=30days
     Loco: 4/8, Maneuver=1 (StdGrav=2600t), 4/8, Jump=1, Cruise=750kph,
           Max=1000kph, NOE=140kph, TrueAcc=0.95G, Agility=1 
     Comm: Radio=System*2
  Sensors: Radar=FarOrbit, ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout
      Off: Hardpoints=2

                  Missile=x01
           Batteries        2
           Bearing          2

      Def: DefDM+3

               SandCaster=x03
           Batteries        2
           Bearing          2

  Control: Computer Mod1*3, 2*HeadsUpDisplay, 420*DynLink
    Accom: Crew=6 (1 bridge, 1 engineer, 2 gunners, 1 steward, 1 medic),
           Passengers=4, Staterooms=10, Low Berths=20, Env=basic env, basic
           ls, extended ls, grav plates, inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=440kl (1 jump-1+30 days), Cargo=1010kl (74.8t), Fuel Scoops,
           Fuel Purifier (12hr), ObjSize=Avg, EmLevel=Faint

Type S3 Naval Scout TL13

     The Type S3 Scout was built to an Imperial Navy specification for a 
light fleet scout.  Based on the standard Type S design, the S3 includes a 
larger jump drive, electronic countermeasure capability, and a redundant 
sensor and communication suite. A typical mission might involve two or three 
S3s that would jump to the outskirts of an enemy held system, refuel clandes-
tinely, monitor enemy broadcast communications, and identify forces with 
passive detection gear.  If something vital were learned, or at a scheduled 
time otherwise, one of the ships would jump outsystem and report, leaving the 
other(s) to continue the surveillance.  A full tank of fuel would allow 
operation of the life support and sensor systems for over 300 days with no 
other use of power.

  CraftID: Type S3 Naval Scout, TL13, MCr163.8 
     Hull: 90/225, Disp=100t, Config=1AF, Armor=40F, Loaded=1472t,
           Unloaded=1376t
    Power: 6/12, Fusion=720MW, Duration=30days
     Loco: 5/10, Maneuver=2 (Thrusters=3250t), 4/8, Jump=3, Cruise=1050kph,
           Max=1400kph, NOE=170kph, TrueAcc=2.2G, Agility=2
     Comm: Radio=System*2, Laser=System*2, Maser=System*2
  Sensors: EMM, EMS Active(FarOrbit)*2, EMS Jammer(FarOrbit)*2,
           EMS Passive(Interstellar)*2, Neutrino Sensor (100Kw),
           High Pen Densitometer (100m), ActObjScan=Rout,
           ActObjPin=Rout, PassObjScan=Diff, PassObjPin=Diff,
           PassEnScan=Rout, PassEnPin=Diff
      Off: Hardpoints=1

               BeamLaser=x02     Missile=x02
           Batteries       1               1
           Bearing         1               1

      Def: DefDM+6

              Sandcaster=xx3
           Batteries       1
           Bearing         1

  Control: Computer Mod3fib*3, 1*HeadsUpHoloDisplay, 75*HoloLink
    Accom: Crew=2 (1 bridge/engineer, 1 gunner), Passengers=6, Staterooms=4,
           Env=basic env, basic ls, extended ls, grav plates, inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=560kl (1 jump-3+30 days), Cargo=56kl, Fuel Scoops, Fuel  
           Purifier (6hr), SubCraft=1*4ton (not included), ObjSize=Avg,
           EmLevel=None

Type A Free Trader TL11

     This is a basic Type A free trader, typical of those produced by low 
tech systems in secure areas prior to the Rebellion.  No weapons are in-
stalled, but the control system has sufficient excess capacity to accept the 
installation of any practical armament package.  The hull design is optimized 
for ease of construction.  Thrusters provide a reasonable deepspace accelera-
tion of 0.94Gs, but it should be noted that this is not sufficient to lift 
the fully loaded craft from a size 8 planet.  Planetary landings while empty, 
for crew vacations, passenger loading or maintenance are possible.

  CraftID: Type A Free Trader, TL11, MCr50.7 
     Hull: 180/450, Disp=200t, Config=4SL, Armor=40E, Loaded=2754t,
           Unloaded=1701t
    Power: 6/12, Fusion=540MW, Duration=30days 
     Loco: 4/8, Maneuver=1 (Thrusters=2600t), 4/8, Jump=1, TrueAcc=0.94G,
           Agility=1
     Comm: Radio=System*2
  Sensors: Radar=FarOrbit, ActObjScan=Rout, ActObjPin=Rout
      Off: Hardpoints=2 (No weapons currently installed)
      Def: DefDM+3
  Control: Computer Mod1*3, 2*HeadsUpDisplay, 450*DynLink
    Accom: Crew=4 (1 bridge, 1 engineer, 1 steward, 1 medic), Passengers=6,
           Staterooms=10, LowBerths=20, Env=basic env, basic ls, extended ls,
           grav plates, inertial comp
    Other: Fuel=445kl (1 jump-1+30 days), Cargo=1022kl (75.7t), Fuel Scoops,
           Fuel Purifier (12hr), ObjSize=Avg, EmLevel=Faint

------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2192
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 91 10:46:29 PST
From: salamon@sdbio2.UCSD.EDU (Andrew Salamon)
Subject: more questions about sector data

Hello, everyone!
  I am looking for the following info. If anyone has good pointers too it, or 
even an on-line copy, it would be greatly appreciated.

	1) Any and all 'official' subsector names (except Spinward Marches).
	2) A list of what all of the allegiance codes in the Sector data files
	   mean.  
	3) Is there any way to tell which planets in the Sector data files are
	   capitals?  (Sector and subsector capitals)

  If any of this info is in the Rebellion Source book, don't worry about it, 
as I should have a copy soon.

Thanks!

Andrew
salamon@sdbio2.ucsd.edu

------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2193
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 91 13:52:03 -0700
From: sfellows@slate.Mines.Colorado.EDU (FELLOWS STEVEN B)
Subject: Challenge Mag and GDW

Interesting News:

Just received Challenge 48 in the mail from GDW.  In the "From the Management"
section it states: "We're going monthly starting in July."  

This is good news, because now they are going go head to head with Dragon
and White Dwarf.  I always found Challenge to be a decent mag.  While it
does cover many other games other than MegaT, I do think their other
material is quite interesting.  It will be nice to get a science fiction
gaming mag once a month.  My roommate gets Dragon, but that doesn't cut the
cake for a science-fiction gamer (even though they said in their last
editorial they were also expanding to include sf.  I doubt that will
last).

Bad news, because I just sent in a subscription which I thought would last
a year.  Even though the subscription was paid by using gift certificates
it looks like I will have to renew in August.  They also mistakenly sent me
47 on my subscription, which I told them I already have.  Oh well, I'll
just give it to one of my players.

Speaking of which, I have to say that their mail-order is quite efficient.
I sent them my order (60 dollars of 65 dollar total was paid using gift
certificates) less than 2 weeks ago.  I was quite surprised to see it so
fast.

Steven B. Fellows
sfellows@slate.mines.colorado.edu


------------------------------

Archive-Message-Number: 2194
Date:     Tue, 5 Mar 91 16:34:07 EST
From: "Robert S. Dean" <rsdean@crdec8.apgea.army.mil>
Subject:  Archive Messages

I just recently figured out how to access the archives, and spent most of
last weekend reading through everything prior to my arrival on the scene
in June 1990.  (Seems like I've been here longer...)

A question which was discussed at great length was appropriate size or budget
of naval forces.  It was agreed by all that the Trillion Credit Squadron 
rules gave ludicrously large results (I know...ask me about the navy for Narsil
- - --Pop A--sometime), and that the Striker rules, while moving in the right
direction, were still too generous.  What does anyone feel is a reasonable
force level for a population 9 TL15 planet?  If we got the results in terms
of total spending, how much would be devoted to which services?  At TL15 is
there any use for infantry, apart from suppressing low tech natives, standing
guard duty, and occasional police work?  Would low tech planets actually
bother maintaining any sort of military forces beyond the bare minimum 
required for maintaining order, knowing that any reasonable attack by a
higher tech neighbor would result in a rapid defeat?  (U.S./Iraq)  Balkanized
worlds would obviously be a special case here.

Has anyone been following MT discussion on GEnie?  I have an account there
now, but don't have the funds to spend on Scorpia time.  Have any interesting
files been uploaded there lately?

Is anyone planning on attending Origins this year?  We really ought to plan
some sort of get together, there and/or at the World SF Convention in Chicago
over Labor Day.  Keep it in mind...

Rob Dean


------------------------------

End of TML Bundle
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